Before everything was automatic, photographers had to work to take good photos. They had to determine how much light there was, how much movement was taking place and get the photos they wanted without the instant feedback of the little screen on the back of the camera--because it wasn't there. To really learn photography, as opposed to just taking pictures, a manual exposure camera is a great teacher.
Instructions
1. Get a hand-held light meter. If the camera doesn't have a built in meter---and most older ones, especially professional-level cameras, don't---a hand-held meter is invaluable. While it is possible to "guess" at your exposure if you have a lot of experience, the light meter will help you determine the correct aperture and shutter speed combination for most images with the turn of a dial.
2. Start with a simple scene without movement in it. You can get to that later when you're used to the camera. For example, go into your backyard with the camera---single-lens reflex, twin-lens reflex or rangefinder---and pick out a small tree of bush not that far from you. Put the camera on a tripod for these first experiments. Focus the lens on the tree. Set the light meter to the ISO speed (formerly, ASA or DIN) of the film you are using. These usually range from 25, 50, 125, 200, 400, 800 and 1,600. The film package will tell you what the speed is. Then, walk up to the tree with your light meter. Take light samples from the middle and sides. Get an average. The meter needle will swing to where its light sensitivity tells it to. Adjust the dial so it lines up with the needle. This will tell you what shutter speed and aperture opening you need.
3. Adjust the aperture ring on the lens according to the light meter reading. Then adjust the shutter speed dial. If the manual exposure camera does not have high enough shutter speeds---and many old cameras only have speeds up to 1/300th or 1/500th of a second---use the maximum shutter speed and adjust the aperture down. In other words, if the meter called for the aperture to be F11 at 1/1000th of a second, take the aperture down to F22 at 1/500th of second.
4. Take the photo. Then take another photo without moving the camera, but readjusting the aperture and shutter speeds up a notch or two, then down a notch or two. For example, if the meter-dictated exposure was F5.6 at 1/250th of a second, take another photo at F4 and 1/500th of a second. Then another at F8 and 1/125th of a second. Take notes about your settings. When the film is developed, you will be able to compare these photos side by side to see which gives you the effect you were looking for.
5. Try your photos with a fill flash. Clip a small strobe flash unit onto the camera if it has an accessory shoe. If it is a "hot" shoe, it will have a connection in it to make direct contact with the camera's workings. If it is not a "hot" shoe, connect the cord from the flash to the socket usually found on the front of the camera. Some cameras trip the flash only at one or two shutter speeds such as 1/125th or 1/500th. Others like the Hasselblad 500C allow flash sync on every setting. "Fill" flash is a small flash unit directly inline with the lens. They fill in some of the shadows at the front of an image.
Tags: light meter, shutter speed, 500th second, another photo, aperture down